So since this is supposed to be a pregnancy (or trying to get and stay pregnant blog) I guess I'd better write about that a bit. I lost our baby last summer. I went a long time thinking it was something wrong with the baby, that it was 'nature's way' of taking care of business, but then I went and got tested.
Then I found out it was me. I was responsible for the baby slipping out of me. My body was the imperfect one.
"FSH stands for follicle stimulating hormone, and is one of the more important ways in which the brain talks to the ovaries. Simply, the brain releases FSH when it wants the ovaries to mature an egg; as the ovaries choose and mature the egg, hormone products from the ovaries signal the brain to decrease the release of FSH. This is an example of a feedback loop.
The FSH test is the simplest method we know of in 1998 to test the ability of the eggs to talk back to the brain. If the system is functioning the way it should, then the FSH level early in the cycle should be on the lower end of the scale.
FSH is reported in "units" and results from 2 units to 7 are probably normal in just about any lab.
Levels above 25 are probably abnormal.
The area between 9-24 may represent normal or abnormal levels, depending on how the test is performed."
I was happy. I had young eggs! Then my progesterone levels came back. Ugh. Here's what progesterone is and why you should be tested if you've had a miscarriage:
"One of progesterone's most important functions is to cause the endometrium to secrete special proteins during the second half of the menstrual cycle, preparing it to receive and nourish an implanted fertilized egg. If implantation does not occur, estrogen and progesterone levels drop, the endometrium breaks down and menstruation occurs.
If a pregnancy occurs, progesterone is produced in the placenta and levels remain elevated throughout the pregnancy.
High progesterone levels are believed to be partly responsible for symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), such as breast tenderness, feeling bloated and mood swings. When you skip a period, it could be because of failure to ovulate and subsequent low progesterone levels.
A progesterone test is done to confirm ovulation. When a follicle releases its egg, it becomes what is called a corpus luteum and produces progesterone. A level over 5 probably indicates some form of ovulation, but most doctors want to see a level over 10 on a natural cycle, and a level over 15 on a medicated cycle. There is no mid-luteal level that predicts pregnancy."
My progesterone was a lousy 9.6. The doctor, knowing I was internet-educated and couldn't be fooled, admitted that there was a good chance that my baby was lost because I stressed myself out when I also had low progesterone. Schloop. Body releases uterine lining and baby right along with it. So while I dragged my ass with that knowledge, I was glad I had been tested. At least... now... I wouldn't have to do that to another fetus. Another son or daughter who *should* have been.
Here's the good news. Clomid. More about that when I blog again....
Then I found out it was me. I was responsible for the baby slipping out of me. My body was the imperfect one.
I had my FSH levels tested and they were a beautiful 6... "the eggs of a 25 year old, as my doc put it." Here's the sci-fi version of what FSH levels are:
"FSH stands for follicle stimulating hormone, and is one of the more important ways in which the brain talks to the ovaries. Simply, the brain releases FSH when it wants the ovaries to mature an egg; as the ovaries choose and mature the egg, hormone products from the ovaries signal the brain to decrease the release of FSH. This is an example of a feedback loop.
The FSH test is the simplest method we know of in 1998 to test the ability of the eggs to talk back to the brain. If the system is functioning the way it should, then the FSH level early in the cycle should be on the lower end of the scale.
FSH is reported in "units" and results from 2 units to 7 are probably normal in just about any lab.
Levels above 25 are probably abnormal.
The area between 9-24 may represent normal or abnormal levels, depending on how the test is performed."
I was happy. I had young eggs! Then my progesterone levels came back. Ugh. Here's what progesterone is and why you should be tested if you've had a miscarriage:
"One of progesterone's most important functions is to cause the endometrium to secrete special proteins during the second half of the menstrual cycle, preparing it to receive and nourish an implanted fertilized egg. If implantation does not occur, estrogen and progesterone levels drop, the endometrium breaks down and menstruation occurs.
If a pregnancy occurs, progesterone is produced in the placenta and levels remain elevated throughout the pregnancy.
High progesterone levels are believed to be partly responsible for symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), such as breast tenderness, feeling bloated and mood swings. When you skip a period, it could be because of failure to ovulate and subsequent low progesterone levels.
A progesterone test is done to confirm ovulation. When a follicle releases its egg, it becomes what is called a corpus luteum and produces progesterone. A level over 5 probably indicates some form of ovulation, but most doctors want to see a level over 10 on a natural cycle, and a level over 15 on a medicated cycle. There is no mid-luteal level that predicts pregnancy."
My progesterone was a lousy 9.6. The doctor, knowing I was internet-educated and couldn't be fooled, admitted that there was a good chance that my baby was lost because I stressed myself out when I also had low progesterone. Schloop. Body releases uterine lining and baby right along with it. So while I dragged my ass with that knowledge, I was glad I had been tested. At least... now... I wouldn't have to do that to another fetus. Another son or daughter who *should* have been.
Here's the good news. Clomid. More about that when I blog again....
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